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BSc (Hons)

Astrophysics (Foundation Entry)

Attendance

Campus

Start

Book an Undergraduate Open Day

Duration

4 Years

Start

September 2023

UCAS Code

F471

Delivery

Campus Taught

Do you ever wonder how our universe came to be? Our Astrophysics Foundation Entry degree course will help you find the answers and lead to a rewarding career in this field.

You’ll gain an understanding of how to apply physics to the stars and galaxies which make up our universe, whilst developing skills in scientific methods.

Through our well-resourced observatory and laboratory facilities, you’ll develop a sophisticated practical and theoretical knowledge base during your BSc (Hons) Astrophysics course.

Foundation Entry degree courses are ideal if you’ve got the ability to study for a degree, but don’t have the necessary formal qualifications to directly join an honours programme. It’s a great stepping stone to a full degree.

Why study with us

You’ll also develop your mathematical skills, and benefit from a state-of-the art learning environment for practical analysis, interpretation and modelling of astronomical data.
You’ll gain excellent observational, mathematical and logical skills as well as problem-solving abilities.
Physics and Astronomy is ranked 2nd in the North West for research intensity (CUG, 2022). Research intensity is a measure of the amount of staff involved in high-quality research in the university.

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What you'll do

In the 2022 National Student Survey, 92% of Physics and Astrophysics respondents were overall satisfied with their course, with a 90% rating for the teaching on the course.
The University has its own observatory, the Alston Observatory, one of the largest teaching observatories in the UK, which you’ll get to use during your BSc (Hons) Astrophysics course.
You’ll also benefit from an excellent learning environment, with state-of-the-art facilities used for practical analysis, interpretation, modelling astronomical data and specialised research software.

Module overview

Course delivery

This course is taught face-to-face at one of our UK campuses.

100%Face-to-face

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Join us on campus

Book a place at our Undergraduate Open Day on Saturday 17 June. Here you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities, meet academic staff and chat to students.

Book your place

View the course facilities

Accreditations

This course is accredited by the IOP, the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. On completion of this course graduates can progress towards Chartered Physicist (Phys) status.

Future careers

Graduates of our BSc (Hons) Astrophysics degree are amongst the most employable around because of their analytical and mathematical skills. Your skills make you particularly attractive to employers, not just in astrophysics, but in a wide range of fields including oil and gas, and medical physics.

Fees and funding

2022/23

First year£6000 for the first year

Full-time£9250 per year

International

First year£10000 for the first year

Full-time£14250 per year

2023/24

First year£6,500 for the first year

Full-time£9,250 per year

International

First year£11,000 for the first year

Full-time£14,900 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

During our BSc (Hons) Astrophysics course you’ll learn through a variety of methods including lectures, tutorials, seminars, problem-solving classes, laboratory work, observatory experiments, individual project work and group work. Small class sizes ensure you get individual attention.

The course is assessed by a combination of written examinations, assignments, laboratory logbooks and reports, project reports and presentations.

All the BSc (Hons)/MPhys courses have common induction modules, with the opportunity to choose your specialisation on completion: Physics, Applied Physics, Physics with Astrophysics, or Astrophysics.

You can choose if you want to continue on to the MPhys route and, if you’re planning a career in scientific research, we strongly recommend the MPhys qualification.

The MPhys individual project provides an introduction to research and lasts a whole semester in the final year. This takes the place of the normal BSc project and you can study abroad within a collaborating research group (such as Florence, Italy, South Africa or NASA).

The master’s MPhys course gives you the chance to study to a greater depth than is possible on the Bachelors course, and takes an extra year to complete. You enrol onto the MPhys course in the first instance and you can then decide between BSc (Hons) and MPhys, taking into account your achievements and career aspirations. After your foundation year you’ll study six modules per year, making a total of 18 modules for the BSc and 24 modules for the MPhys.

Building on our long history of Astrophysics studies, the University’s Jeremiah Horrocks Institute for Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy was established in 1993, and pursues research into the physics of stars, galaxies and the universe. We’re involved in a number of international collaborations, including being the leading member of the United Kingdom Southern African Large Telescope Consortium. We host the UK hub for data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Staff are also involved in our world-leading Astronomy by Distance Learning programme, delivered under our Study Astronomy brand.